October 30, 2009

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California Sweet Potatoes

Market Snapshot*

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was reporting the following prices on 40-pound cartons of U.S. No. 1 Grade sweet potatoes from California's Atwater-Livingston district:

Orange and red types, $17-18; white types, $24-25; Japanese types, $21-24.

* Prices from the USDA's Fruit & Vegetable Market News, Oct. 26.

The Shipping Scene

Grower-shippers say they anticipate a large crop of high-quality California sweet potatoes this season, providing ample opportunities for retail promotions.

Digging began July 20 at AV Thomas Produce in Livingston and ideally will be completed by the end of October, said salesman Jeremy Fookes.

Since most growers expect a larger crop than usual, the harvest likely will last a little longer this year, but growers shouldn't experience any problems even if digging extends into early November as long as good weather holds.

California grows four main kinds of sweet potatoes - reds, beauregards, sweets and Orientals, he said. The beauregard and other orange-flesh varieties are popular on the East Coast. California is the main producer of red-skin, orange-flesh sweet potatoes.

Fookes said he's hard pressed to find any problems with this year's crop.

"Growing conditions have been ideal for our crop," he said.

There has not been heavy rainfall, and temperatures remain within an acceptable range for the tubers.

Because of this year's large volume, he expects ample storage supplies, and he said the company plans to offer aggressive pricing for the holidays.

"This is one of our best promotion years that we've had in the last three or four years," Fookes said. "We're in a position to help our customers write good ads."

More marketable No. 1s should be available than usual this year with fewer jumbos and tight supplies on medium and small sizes, he said.

AV Thomas offers an extensive selection of pack types, including 3-, 5-, 10- and 15-pound cartons and 5- and 10-pound bags. But most of the sweet potatoes come in 40-pound boxes, display-ready cartons or reusable plastic containers. The company also offers microwaveable packs and is a major shipper of organic sweet potatoes.

Yagi Bros. Produce Inc. in Livingston only has a few days left for its 2009 harvest, said Duane Hutton, manager. Digging had to be curtailed because of high winds earlier this week but, except for one rainstorm, it was the only disruption this season.

Yagi Bros. has added a few acres of sweet potatoes this year, but Hutton still expects the company to run out next year because of increased demand for California product due to weather problems in Southern growing regions.

Demand for sweet potatoes has increased in recent years, making it feasible for growers to ship year-round if they can maintain their supplies, he said.

Quality is good this year and sizing of California sweet potatoes remains consistent because they are irrigated and don't depend on rainfall, unlike potatoes in some other growing regions, he said.

Prices have been good so far, he said, though they are not keeping up with growers' rising expenses.

Quality of the Japanese sweet potato varieties that Livingston Farmers Association in Livingston ships has been getting better every year because growers have been improving the seed they use, said Raul Aguilar, sweet potato division manager.

Popular varieties this year are the kotabuki and the murosaki. Both taste similar to but sweeter than traditional sweet potatoes and have white flesh and purple skin, Aguilar said.

They are similar in size to traditional sweet potatoes and are harvested during the same time period. They're especially popular among Asian consumers and some Latin cultures, he said.

Acreage and yields of California sweet potatoes should be up about 5% this season, said Hutton, who also is treasurer of the Sweet Potato Council of California in Livingston.

The state typically ranks as the No. 2 producer of sweet potatoes, behind North Carolina, he said.

The Atwater-Livingston area is the state's sweet potato center because of the good climate, rich soil, ample water and grower expertise that has built up over the years, he said.

(By Tom Burfield, Western correspondent for The Packer. The Packer and Red Book Credit Services are part of food360º, a division of Vance Publishing Corp., Lincolnshire, Ill.)

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